Intraocular pressure reduction in normal-tension glaucoma patients in South Korea

To evaluate the potential benefit of intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction in normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) patients in South Korea. A retrospective, multi-center analysis of Korean NTG patients with 5-years follow-up, typical glaucomatous optic disc and/or visual field changes and no recorded IOP >21 mmHg. Progression was identified by Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study visual field scoring. There were 90 (42%) progressed patients and 127 (58%) stable patients included in the study. Mean IOP measured higher in the progressed (14.3 ± 2.2 mmHg) than stable patients (14.0 ± 1.9 mmHg), but was not statistically different between the groups (P = 0.29). The mean IOP that best discriminated stable patients was ≤15 mmHg, but no statistical difference existed in the numbers of progressed versus stable patients at ≤15 mmHg compared to >15 mmHg (P = 0.07). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the baseline number of glaucoma medicines and visual field as well as mean, peak and fluctuation of IOP were significant risk factors for glaucomatous progression (P < 0.01). This study suggests that in Korean NTG patients, despite relatively similar IOPs between progressed and stable patients, and based on multivariate regression analysis, IOP may be a risk factor for glaucomatous progression.